JLR names three UK directors to head up its 'house of brands'

JLR has appointed dedicated directors in the UK market to oversee Jaguar, Range Rover, Defender and Discovery as the firm pushes forwards with its 'house of brands' reinvention.

It follows the launch of last year’s wide-reaching Reimagine Strategy, which split the business until then known as Jaguar Land Rover into four separate brands.

As well as adopting the no-haggle, direct-to-customer agency retail model, JLR laid out plans to give each of its dealerships four distinct brand areas.

Now it has pushed this a step further, appointing directors to “put each of the four brands in their own spotlight” within the UK market and “bring to life each brand’s distinctive identity”, it said.

The new Range Rover brand director is Alan Nicolson, previously boss of JLR’s product marketing team. He will be tasked with the success of Range Rover’s upcoming electric debut.

Santino Pietrosanti, also given the title of brand director, will be tasked with Jaguar’s electric rebirth, expected to start with a four-door GT, followed by a Bentley Bentayga-sized flagship SUV. He moves from the position of director of strategic partnerships. 

Leonie Raistrick, formerly Peugeot’s international brand strategy director, becomes brand director for both Defender and Discovery. She was named an Autocar Great Women Rising Star for her work with the Stellantis-owned brand last year.

All three will report to JLR managing director Patrick McGillycuddy.

“How clients view mobility and how they interact with luxury brands has changed vastly in recent years, so how we present our brands, products and services must also change,” said McGillycuddy.

“As we move to a fully electric future, we must innovate at every part of the client experience to deliver a sustainability-rich reimagination of modern luxury.

"Alan, Leonie, Santino and I are united in our passion to position all of our brands in a cohesive yet distinctive way to shape the company’s future of automotive electrification, defined by modern luxury at all touchpoints of the client journey.”